Receptacle holder



May 30 1950 T. B. ALLEN 2,509,284

RECEPTACLE HOLDER Filed Dec. 23. 1946 INVENTOR THOMAS B. ALLEN ATTORNEYS Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES RECEP'EACLE HOLDER Thomas B. Allen, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application December 23, 1946, Seriai No. 717,880

(01. Mil-J49) Claims. I

My invention relates to improvements in receptacle holders for garbage and refuse cans and similar containers, an object of the invention being to provide a simple, durable, sightly and relatively inexpensive holder of the instant nature adapted to hold a receptacle in an upright position, more or less above the ground, as desired, and secure against being tipped over accidentally or by dogs, children, pranksters or the like.

Another object of the invention is to supply a receptacleholder of the instant nature in which the parts are duplicated, in large measure, and in which the various parts are capable of being stored and shipped compactly in disassembled form and readily assembled at a given site to accord with the size of the particular receptacle to be held thereby.

A further object of my invention is to provide a receptacle holder in which clamps applied to posts serve to secure can-supporting means thereto.

More specifically, it is an object of my invention to provide a holder of the instant nature wherein the clamps are vertically adjustable on the posts and adapted to bind the can-supporting means between the same and said posts.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a can-supporting member in the form of a hoop and to construct the clamps in a manner to crimp portions of the hoop about the posts and thereby lend rigidity to the holder structure, an additional object of the invention being to supply such a hoop in form enabling it to be adjusted circumferentially to fit any of various sizes of cans.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/0r described.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a form of receptacle holder constructed in embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and fragmentarily showing one of the posts with its clamps securing the cansupporting members thereto, portions of said clamps being broken away to reveal features of construction otherwise concealed; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the upper clamp onthe post and the overlapped ends of the hoop-forming strap crimped upon each other about the post and gripped between said. post and the seat of the clamp; Fig. 4 is also a detail: sectional View, the

2 same being taken on the line 4-4 or Fig. 2 and showing the lower clamp on the post and a cansupporting member gripped to the post by said clam and Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the hand which constitutes one of the parts of a clamp. i

Reference being had to said drawing, it will be seen that the illustrated form of my invention includes posts A, upper and lower clamps B on said ports, a support C in the form of a. canembracing hoop HI secured to said posts A by said upper clamps B', and supports D secured to said posts by the lower clamps B to provide a footing for a can, as at It, received within the hoop III.

The posts A. are preferably identical and each thereof may include a tube- I? fitted at its lower end with a point l3 to facilitate the driving of the post into the ground", and may also include a cap Hi fitted to the u per end of the tube I? to protect said tube against the battering blows of an instrument employed indriving the post into the: ground.

Preferably, the clamps B are identical, each thereof including a band 5 made from a strap "ent into the form best seen in Fig. 5 to provide a seat It curved to conform substantially with the side of a post, arms [1- extending from said seat 15 at either side thereof to embrace such post, and terminal ears I 8 overlapping each other opposite said seat it to provide a mount" for a clamping screw it) which comprises another part of the clamp. The stem of the clamping screw 18 is received in registering openings 20' formed the terminal ears 18 of the clamp-band I 5 and is threaded into a nut 21 located inside of the mount formed by said ears [8. In this connection, it is to he" noted that said arms i"! converge toward said terminal ea'r's i8 and form; obstructions which keep the" nut 21' from" turning when the cl'amping screw 19* therein is turned.

In each of the upper clampsBg-the arms ITof the clamp-band i'far'e formedwith slots or eyes ofiset from theiseat' it to receive the hoop it. ihis hoop it] consists of' a strap adapted to be circularly bent and threaded through the slots" 22 of the upper clamps B with its ends overlapped within such slots 22 of one of said clamps.

The lower clamps B" may be duplicates of the upper. clamps B, but; since can-supporting means in. form'- other than that of a hoop are secured tothe posts A by said lower clamps: B, the slots 22 in the arms H of the clamp b-ands l5" may be omitted, if desired. Such: other form: of can supporting means comprises the supportsD there being one thereof for each post A, each consisting of a strip, one end portion of which provides a leg 23 to be gripped between a post A and the seat 16 of a clamp B, and the other end portion, bent at right angles to said first end portion, provides a rest 24 for the bottom of a can embraced within the hoop l gripped to the posts A by the upper clamps B.

The parts of my improved holder, namely, the posts A, the clamps B, lower supports D and hoop II), in a roll or flattened out straight, are conveniently stored or transported in compact form. To assemble and install said parts for use, the user threads two of the clamps B, either side uppermost, on each post A and thereupon drives the lower ends of said posts into the ground equally spaced apart about a circle of slightly greater diameter than that of the can or other receptacle to be accommodated in the holder. The, upper clamps B are then angularly positioned relative to the posts A with the seats l6 of said clamps adjacent the inner sides of the posts. Then, the strap which forms the hoop H! is threaded through the slots 22 in said upper clamps B, said strap being shaped circularly to bring its ends into overlapping relation within the slots 22 of one of said clamps B. Obviously, any excess in the length of the strap forming the hoop [B will be accommodated in the overlap at the ends thereof. Said relative positioning of parts brings the clamping-screws I9 into position to be turned against the outer sides of the posts A. Disposing the hoop H3 and upper clamps B at the desired elevation, the assembler tightens the clamping-screws i9, thereby causing the hoop Ill to be firmly gripped between the seats N5 of the clamps B and the inner sides of the posts A. Firmness of the grip between the hoop l0 and posts A is enhanced by crim'ps 25 which are pressed into said hoop H3 upon the squeezing thereof between the clamp-seats l6 and posts A, said crimps 25 occurring not only at points of single thickness of the hoop-forming strap, but also at the point of double thickness thereof (Fig. 3) where the ends of the strap overlap in the one of said clamps B. Crimped about the posts A, the hoop I t is securely attached thereto, and, in turn, braces said posts relative to each other. Having fixed the hoop ill to the posts A, the assembler angularly disposes each of the lower clamps B in correspondence with'their upper comp-anion clamps B. One of the supports D is then applied to each of the lower clamps B by inserting the leg 23 of such support between the seat l6 of said clamp and its respective post A so that the rest as of such support D will extend radially inward from the post, as shown in Fig. 1. Thereupon, said lower clamps B will be tightened upon the posts A by turning the clamping-screws l9 against said posts. In so fixing said lower clamps B, they will be preferably disposed in elevation to locate the rests 24 of said supports D in a common plane above the ground level. To enhance the firmness with which the legs 23 of the supports D are gripped between the lower clamps B and the posts A, said legs 23 are preferably curved transversely thereof to conform with the curvature of the clamp-seats l6 and posts A.

The can or other receptacle to be held in the erected holder is lowered through the hoop l0 and bottomed upon the rests 24. In such position, the can is supported above the ground surface and, while it is readily liftable out of the holder, it is thereby securely held against being tipped over.

In installations of my holder, wherein a relatively close fit between the can and posts is obtained, the supports D may be dispensed with and the lower clamps B angularly disposed in opposition to the positions shown in Fig. 1. Thus disposed, the arms I! of said clamps B will in themselves serve as rests for the bottom of the can or other receptacle.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein described, may be made Within the scope of What is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a, receptacle holder, a plurality of posts, a hoop adapted to be supported by said posts and to embrace the receptacle to be held, clamps for mounting the hoop on said posts, there being one clamp for each post, each clamp consisting of a band encircling its respective post, a portion of said band constituting seat for disposition adjacent the inner side of the post, said band having openings therein offset from said seat at opposite sides thereof for the reception of a portion of said hoop at a location between said seat and the inner side of said post, and a clamping screw carried by the band opposite said seat and engageable with the outer side of the post to tighten the clamp and cause said portion of said hoop to be crimped about the post and gripped between said seat and said post.

2. In a receptacle holder, posts, clamps and supports, there being one clamp and one support for each post, each clamp consisting of a clampin screw and a strap, different portions of said strap comprising, respectively, a. seat for disposition adjacent the inner side of the post, an arm, and a mount opposite said seat for the clamping screw, said screw being engageable with the outer side of the post, each support consisting of two members disposed at right angles to each other, one member constituting a rest for the receptacle and the other member providing a leg for said first member, said leg being adapted to be received between the seat of its respective clamp and the inner side of its respective post and to be gripped between such seat and post.

3. In a receptacle holder, a post, a hoop adapted to be supported by the post and, in turn, to embrace and support the receptacle to be held, and a clamp for securing said hoop to said post in various positions thereon longitudinally thereof, said hoop consisting of a, strap shaped to bring the end portions thereof into overlapping relationship, said clamp consisting of a not, a screw threaded in said nut, and a band formed from a strap bent to provide intermediately thereof a'seat for disposition adjacent one side of the post, also post-embracing arms extending from the seat and, further, a mount in opposition to said seat comprising the terminal portions of said arms, said portions being oppositely bent relative to said arms into overlapping relation and formed with registering apertures loosely receiving said screw, said nut being backed against said mount between said arms and restrained against rotation by the latter, said arms of said clamp having slots therein offset from said seat at opposite sides thereof for the reception of the overlapped ends of said hoop-forming strap at a location between said seat and said first side of said post, said screw being adapted to be advanced in said nut against the side of the post opposite said first side thereof to tighten the clamp and cause said overlapped portions of said hoop-forming strap to be crimped one upon the other about the post and gripped between said seat and said post.

4. In a receptacle holder, a post, a mounting clamp applicable to the post, said clamp consisting of a nut, a screw threaded in the nut, and a band comprising a strap bent to provide intermediately thereof a seat for disposition adjacent one side of the post, also post-embracing arms extending from the seat, and a mount in opposition to said seat comprising the terminal portions of said arms, said terminal portions being oppositely bent relative to said arms into overlapping relation and formed with registering apertures loosely receiving said screw, said nut being backed against said mount between said arms and restrained against rotation by the latter, and a support for a receptacle, said support having a portion thereof receivable between said seat and post, said screw being adapted to be advanced in said nut against the side of said post opposite said first side thereof to tighten the clamp and grip said portion of said support between said seat and post.

5. In a receptacle holder, 3, post, a hoop adapted to be supported by said post and to embrace a. receptacle to be held, said hoop consisting of a strap bent to bring the end portions thereof into overlapping relationship, and a clamp for mounting the hoop on said post, said clamp consisting of a. band encircling said post, a portion of said band constituting a seat for disposition adjacent one side of the post, said band having openings therein offset from said seat at opposite sides thereof for the reception of the overlapped end portions of said strap at a location between said seat and said side of the post, and a clamping screw carried by the band opposite said seat and engageable with the side of the post opposite said first mentioned side thereof to shift the clamp relative to the post, thereby to cause said overlapped end portions of said strap to be crimped one upon the other about said post and gripped between said seat and post.

THOMAS B. ALLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,309,240 Chappius July 8, 1919 1,382,115 Ohme June 21, 1921 1,779,867 Ahrold Oct. 28, 1930 2,415,207 Goranson ....n, Feb. 4, 1947 

